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^CROSS the Great Plains, 
over the Mighty Rock- 
ies, and down the Beautiful 
Western Coast by Auto 



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Copy 1 




PREPARING FOR OUR TRIP ACROSS THE ROCKIES 



The Story of an Automobile Trip from 
Lincoln, Nebraska, to Los Angqles, California, 
via San Francisco, made by P>T1. Marlay and 
Party : : : : : : : : 




ACROSS THE GREAT PLAINS' 



1! 



HAD been 
contemplating 
.a trip across 
the great 
plains and 
over the 
Rockies and 
to the Pacific 
Coast for al- 
most a year, 
and finally 
decided 
to start the 
latter part of 
August. Every true sportsman realizes the great pleasure 
of anticipation and the fitting up for an outing, so after 
the usual delightful annoyances incident to preparation, 
we left Lincoln, Nebraska, at 7 a. m. , August 27th, 
1911, well equipped with guides for the general rout- 
ing which had been furnished us through the courtesy 
of the Automobile Club of Southern California. We 
were also provided with a speedometer guide, published by 
the Omaha and Denver Automobile Clubs, covering the 

(3) 



'A/IJf 




route [rom Omaha to Denver over the roadway that they 
had recently laid cut as the Transcontinental Automobile 
Roadway between these two points. This road is plainly 
marked throughout the danger sign bemg a red rmg around 
a telephone pole or fence post and the turns and general 
routmg marked by a white ring or rings around the telephone 
pole or fence post along the whole route. This is the plain- 
est and best marking we found until we reached the mark- 
ings of the Automobile Club of Southern California. The 
garages of Eastern Colorado, Wyoming and Utah have a 
\ ery good plan of furnishing tourists with speedometer guides 
and routings from one city to another. For instance, at 
Cheyenne we secured a perfect speedometer guide and 
routing to Laramie. At Laramie the garage furnished us 
a guide of the same kind to Rawlins, and so on, making it 
very easy to follow the road between the two points. 

We had a most delightful run through the rich, fertile 
fields of Eastern Nebraska, arriving at Hastings, one hun- 
dred and four miles distant, at 1 I :40 a. m., and after 
dinner proceeded on our Western journey, arriving that even- 
ing at Cambridge, two hundred and twenty-five miles distant. 
All of this part of Nebraska is highly improved. The 
farmers are rich, thrifty and prosperous, occupying fine 
homes, generally up-to-date and modern, with immense barns 
and outbuildings; large herds of cattle and swine, and fine 
beautiful horses; their fields waving with corn, or were 
golden with the stubble of wheat and oats, or green with 
fragrant alfalfa. A richer, grander or better farming coun- 
try is not to be found on earth — Nebraska producing $450,- 
000,000 in crops each year. 

An early start the next day and on to Sterling, Colorado, 
one hundred and ninety-seven miles, through a less densely 
populated country, but with good roads. Sterling is a 
young, picturesque Western city of about 8000 population, 
and appeared to be very prosperous. 

We left the next morning for Denver, the "Queen City 

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SHERMAN HILL, 8247 FEET HIGH 



of the Rockies," delightful in so many ways, being exactly 
one mile high, and having a charming climate. 

Our party thus far had consisted of Mr. Walker, Mr. 
Moore and myself, but much to our regret, Mr. Walker 
was obliged to leave us here and returned to Nebraska by 
the night train. 

We enjoyed our few hours in Denver immensely. Up 
to this time me had met with no mishaps or break-downs, 
and after filling with gasoline and oil we were off on our 
more daring journey across the mighty Rockies. 

Through this country 
we were not able to dupli- 
cate the time we made from 
Lincoln to Culbertson, 
Nebr., 225 miles, the first 
day, and from Culbertson 
to Sterling, Colorado, 197 
miles, the second day, al- 
though we did very well. 
Our speedometer showed 
that we had tra\e!ed 1253 
miles in seventy-one hcurs 
actual running time, cross- 
ing many mountain ran?es, 
including Sherman Hill, 
8247 feet, and the Conti- 
nental Divide, almost as 
high. Red Desert, and 
what we called ^ ellow 
Desert and Whit? Desert, 
and many other deserts, 
which all looked much 
alike to me, — being simply 
deserts — where even the 

prairie dogs, rattlesnakes and coyotes had given up the coun- 
try in disgust. 




'ACROSS THE MIGHTY ROCKIES" 



(7) 



In the mountain country we found beautitul, though rather 
rough roads beside mountain streams, where tne water 
rushed down from the snowy peaks, and the speckled and 
rambow trout leaped to the fly, and the white-tailed deer 
shook their white flags as they disappeared around the 
mountain. Occasionally a bear, attracted, I suppose, by 
the odor of bacon, prowled around our tent after dark, and 
the yelping coyote added weirdness to the night by h;s 
rasping bark. 

On the plains, if one has a good eye or a good glass, ante- 
lope are sometimes seen, but they are generally too shy for 
a shot. Joe took a long chance at one while I was at the 
wheel and succeeded in breaking its leg. He started after 
It in his usual energetic way and might have been running 
yet had he not perhaps recalled a story that I had been 
telling him the night before while we were sitting beside cur 
camp fire. 

I got the story from Ab. Hammond. It ran like this: 
Ab. had a friend in Indiana, and at the beginning of the 
Civil War this boy was very anxious to join the army, 
boasting that it would only be necessary that he be per- 
mitted to go South with his musket in order to clear up the 
war. But his mother objected to his enlisting. How- 
ever, a compromise was effected, his mother permitting him 
to join the home guards. At that time the famous guerilla 
Morgan made his way through Southern Indiana and 
marched against the home town. Of course, the home 
guard was called out to defend the city. Morgan drew 
up his men, fired a few shells, cutting off the tops of the 
trees and shaking up and tearing down some of the houses, 
A'hereas the home guard broke into a run, throwing away 
iheir muskets and even their clothing in their frantic efforts 
o escape. It is said on good authority that one of the 
boys ran so fast and so far that he actually dropped dead 
from fatigue and fright. 

We had been traveling at such a high altitude that 

(9) 



beans would not cook, and our game stews did not cook 
thoroughly. In fact, we could not cook anything by boil- 
ing, but we still kept our fireless cooker doing duty right 
along. We feasted on the good things of the country 
through which we passed, enjoyed the pure, light air, the 
freezing nights, the delicious mountain river water and the 
grandeur of the scenery. One night water froze in our 
tent, and we were obliged to drain the water from our car 
every evening. 

There is no way one can view the country so well as 
from an automobile. One sees it from an entirely different 
angle. I have passed and re-passed through this country 
many, many times by railroad, but one gets only a passing 
glimpse of it in that way and does not realize the vastness 
of the desert, the grandeur of the mountains, the beauty of 
the rivers, and the wonder of it all. 

I have been wondering how Japan, if she ever attempts 
war with the United States, can transport her armies across 
this great untraversed waste. 

Our 30 H. P. White gasoline car has been our joy and 
comfort. Only one accident having occurred thus far, — a 
broken steering knuckle, which, however, took place some 
two hundred miles east of Salt Lake City, in the middle of 
the desert. This caused a four hundred mile trip to town 
for repairs. Being unable to secure them there, in 
desperation I hunted up a machinist, who agreed to make a 
new steering knuckle for $ 1 0.00. He got it out in good 
time, making an excellent job, much to our delight and sur- 
prise, as it is a very difficult piece of work, and we had not 
thought that any one there could make it. We then started 
on the long stretch through the great deserts of Utah and 
Nevada, and then by better roads, we hoped, to San Fran- 
cisco and Los Angeles. 

When we were driving through the streets of Salt Lake 
City we were hailed by an old friend, Mat Daugherty, well 
known in Nebraska. He bade us welcome to the city and 

(11) 




KELTON— WHERE WE BUILT A FIRE IN THE MAIN STREET 



told us of many Nebraskans living there. We met with 
nothing but kindly and courteous treatment wherever we 
went. 

Leaving Salt Lake at 7:15 a. m., September 12th, we 
ran up to Ogden, a distance of 39 miles, over most miser- 
able roads, for we had concluded after many inquiries to 
go around the northern end of the Great Salt Lake. At 
Ogden, we met our old acquaintance, Ld Buckey, who two 
years previously had come from Chicago to Mason City to 
repair by White Steamer. Mr. Buckey is now located at 
Ogden, running a repair shop, and doing well. He showed 
us about the city and then escorting us about four miles 
out, put us en the right road and bade us "bon voyage." 
We ran on to Brigham, and out on the desert, where we 
were overtaken by a rain storm, the water coming down in 
torrents for a few minutes. 

The soil here is a slimy, soapy alkali, and the roads 
were so slippery that we could proceed no farther, so we 
made camp on the wet, slippery ground near a pond, where 
%ve were beset with mosquitoes, the size and fierceness of 
which I have never before encountered. We slept with 
the shade tent curtain over us, and were glad to depart at 
6 a. m., without breakfast. The writer, however, had 
espied some ducks circling around the pcnd, and braving 
the mosquitoes and rain he bagged a goodly number of 
them which later we fried so nicely that Joe again found 
his temper and laughed. We made Montello, a small 
hamlet, one hundred and twenty-five miles, by night, stop- 
ping at Kelton, where we built a fire in the middle of the 
main street and fried our ducks for dinner. Kelton at one 
time was a thriving town, — the outlet of all freight north 
to the Pocatello country coming over the U. P. Railway, — 
and although the principal merchant tried to impress upon 
us its present greatness, we failed to see it. We got gaso- 
line here. Leaving Montello at 7:40 a. m., we made 
Elko, sixty-five miles, that night over the worst road it has 

(13) 



ever been my lot to travel. Figuratively speaking, we had 
to tie a rope to the back of the car going down the gullies 
to keep it from tipping over frontwards, and then tie the 
rope to the front of the car going up hill to keep it from 
tipping over backwards, the gullies were so steep. Elko is 
a pretty little town of about 2500 inhabitants. Here we 
got gasoline and oil and were directed to the Hot Springs 
a mile and a half west, at which point we pitched our tent 
and were received in the most hospitable manner. ^X/e 
here prepared our game supper and then the bath. Truly 
"cleanliness is next to godliness," and one who has traveled 
over these barren, sandy, dusty, dirty wastes can appreciate 
a hot bath to its fullness. The water of these Hot Springs 
comes from an old extinct volcano and is piped into a large 
plunge and bath tubs. It is too hot to hold your hand in. 
and is said to boil eggs in the usual length of time. It is 
distinctly mineral, and has great curative properties, so we 
were told. We left a goodly part of Utah here. Break- 
ing camp early and with an abundance of fried sage hen, 
which we prepared the night before in the same manner 
that you would prepare for a Sunday school picnic, we 
started over better lOads for Eureka. Perhaps I did not 
tell ycu that we do not generally stop for luncheon, taking 
turns at the wheel and keeping the car going from the start 
in the morning until the camp at night. When we reached 
Eureka I thought surely "I have found it." The oldest 
city in America appears Eureka. An old grocery man 
said he had lived in Eureka 49 years. He charged us 
sixty-five cents for butter that came from California, and 
directed me to a saloon across the way for bread, for which 
they charged thirty-five cents a loaf. At the hotel, the 
best in the town, the hotel register rests upon the bar, and 
on this were the names of the millionaire Premier party 
which stopped here a few weeks ago. We paid fifty cents 
for gasoline, but they politely explained that they were 
eighty miles from a railroad and freight cost one and one- 
half cents and express five cents per pound. Eureka is 

(15) 



located in an old and once rich mining district, and we 
^vere much surprised to find so old a town in the waste and 
mountains of Nevada. 

We left tureka at 4 p. m., and darkness overtaking us 
in the desert we made camp one hundred and fifty-six miles 
from Elko, and retired early, tired and worn, wondering 
what this frightfully lonely, sandy, dusty country was ever 
created for, but were scon in dreamland. The next morn- 
ing the game breakfast, and we started off at a 
lively pace for Austin, which we reached at 10:05, and 
after filling with gasoline and oil were away for Eastgate, 
which we reached at 4:00 
p. m. We ran through this 
beautiful ranch with its fine 
stone buildings and sheds, 
alfalfa and orchards, 
through a mighty pass cr 
gate in the mountains, then 
on again over the trackless 
waste. Eastgate, I should 
have told you, is owned by 
Mr. Williams, who owns 
some forty thousand head 
of sheep which he winters 
here. His brother, who 
lives at Alpine, about fif- 
teen miles north, also has, 
we were told, sixty thou- 
sand head of sheep and a 
fine ranch house. We soon 
discovered that we were 
lost, and not wishing to lose 
time we went on and on 
trying to find a way across 
the mountains, where we 

knew our road should be, but each time a mountain range 
blocked our passage. 

(17) 




'EACH TIME A MOUNTAIN RANGE 
BLOCKED OUR PASSAGE" 




ECHO CANYON, UTAH 



To our dismay our radiator had sprung a leak and we 
were obliged to use the contents of our two water bags, 
holding two gallons of water, to keep our engine cool. 
Finally we turned back after climbing a mountain on 
foot, following a signboard which said: "Water 5c per 
head; 25c per barrel, 1 '/2 miles straight up the Canyon." 
On reaching there we found the camp deserted and no water. 
We knew there was no water for a hundred miles ahead and 
for thirty-five miles behind. As we were returning we met 
Mr. Peck driving the Midland, 40 Road Maker, who was 
also lost. He was returning from San Francisco, after hav- 
ing marked out a roadway from Moline, III., to San Fran- 
cisco. He had also made the same mistake that we had, 
leaving Eastgate by the wrong road and had followed our 
tracks to where we met. Fortunately, we were able to 
direct each other, and after a council decided it was wise to 
return to Eastgate for water, where we had a good supper 
and a good bed and enjoyed the company of Mr. Peck and 
his wife, who are charming people. 

I must not forget to tell you that the little White 30 
distinguished itself by pulling a large automobile over a 
very bad mountain, having climbed it itself with its own 
entire load. 

Did I tell you that I made a fine running shot, killing a 
big coyote at 300 yards, the soft nose bullet of our 30-30 
making a wound that put an end to his sneaking, thieving, 
stealing career. 

Leaving Eastgate at 6:30 a. m., we drove into Reno, 
the city of divorces, at 4:30 p. m. Sunday, having passed 
through Fallon at 1 1 :20 and leaving Fairview, a little 
mountain village, a mile to our left. The road followed 
an old railroad grade into Reno, and for the last thirty 
miles it was good. Here we met Mr. E. C Harris, for- 
merly superintendent of the Northwestern Railway at Cha- 
dron, Nebr., who greeted us in his usual cordial manner and 

(19) 



showed us the city. Reno is a thriving, charming little city, 
the Truckee River running directly through it, — the State 
University being located here. It has a fine city hall, post 
office and good hotels. Its people are up-to-date and hos- 
pitable. 

We left Reno with some regrets at noon, September 20th, 
and camped on the Truckee River in a beautiful spot fifty- 
one miles distant which we named "Pleasure Camp." The 
1 ruckee River is a mountain stream of cold, clear water, 
alive with trout, and of course, we had an abundance of 
them for our supper. These trout resemble the beautiful 
rainbow trout, but are here called cut-throat trout. We 
broke camp early, as we wished to see Lake Tahoe in the 
early morning, so we could return to Truckee and continue 
our journey on to Sacramento. We visited the lake and 
admired its beauty, but in coming down the rough, rocky 
road we succeeded in breaking our other steering knuckle 
and were obliged to wait until a new one could be made for 
us in the car 
shop at Ta- 
h o e. We 
succeed- 
ed, however, 
in getting this 
completed at 
9 a. m. the 
second morn- 
ing, arriving 
in Truckee at 
1 0, and then 
on to Sacra- 
mento, one 

hundred and thirty-one miles, which we reached that even- 
ing. 

The ride from Truckee is one of grandeur and beauty. 
We traveled along Donner Lake, a beautiful sheet of moun- 

(21) 




LAKE TAHOE 




WE GRADUALLY ASCENDED THE MOUNTAIN AND FINALLY 
CROSSED THE SUMMIT" 



tain water, skirted by huge forests of redvsood. We then 
gradually ascended the mountain over a steep, rocky, wind- 
ing road, and after three or four hours climbing on our low 
gear, finally crossed the Summit, a barren, rocky mountain 
range, about 8,000 feet high; then down the rocky western 
slope of the Cascade Mountains through Emigrant Gap; 
then over a most beautiful winding road with easy grades 
through a land rich in fruits and flowers and covered with a 
network of large irrigating ditches. Then on to Colfax, 
where we stopped to see our friend Fowler, who was wait- 
ing there for repairs to his aeroplane in his grand efforts to 
cross the mighty Cascades on his aerial trip to the Atlantic. 
We, having crossed these immense ranges of snow-capped 
mountains and "the hot sands of the deserts" lying between 
him and his goal, could give him some idea of the country 
through which he must pass, and could at least inform him 
of the difficulties to be surmounted in crossing by automobile. 
He was still waiting for repairs, but expected to get started 
by the next day. 

The last part of the journey to Sacramento was over a 
splendid road. We stopped at the Hotel Sacramento, 
where we rested for the night. 

The next day's travel was over exceptionally good roads, 
through Stockton to San Francisco, which we reached in 
due season — crossing the ferry at Oakland, Joe remarking 
that this was the first time we had moved with other than 
our own power. 

At San Francisco we were received with open arms by 
the Western Agency of the White Company, who gave us 
the freedom of their offices and shops, and treated us royally. 
.Messrs. Hawkins and Brackett, the managers, are charm- 
ing gentlemen and rustlers for business. They fur- 
nished us with needed repairs; gave us directions as to the 
roads ; and on our departure from San Francisco wished us 
a "bon voyage." We found the Goodrich tires eminently 

(23) 



satisfactory in every way ; its representatives courteous, 
obliging and accommodating. 

We left San Francisco at 9:15 on September 25th. 
gomg down the peninsula to San Jose, arriving at King 
City, one hundred and sixty miles distant, at 6:00 o'clock. 
We had passed through a beautiful country; had secured 
an abundance of game, but had broken a spring, which we 
succeeded in getting repaired that night. The next day we 
ran to withm a few miles of San Luis Obispo, where we 
camped among the beautiful "live oaks" and rested com- 
fortably after a hearty meal of venison which we had se- 
cured farther up m the country. 

I must tell you the story of one of our successful deer 
hunts. 

I was drivmg along at the usual lively pace for we had 
started early that morning when I heard Joe shout, "For 
goodness' sake, stop the car!" I put on the brakes with a 
vigorous effort just as a doe ran up the mountain side, 
followed by a beautiful buck. I was busy with the car 
on a down grade, trying to get it stopped, but Joe had 
leaped from the machine, grabbed the 30-30, and had 
succeeded in getting two shots at long range, but was not 
successful in bringing down the game. I was out myself, 
in a moment, and throwing more shells into the rifie, 
started on a long run up the hill through the heavy under- 
brush with which the mountain was covered. After a 
desperate hard climb of a mile and a half I espied the buck 
standing on a rock about three hundred yards distant. He 
must have seen me almost at the same time for he started 
to run. At my first shot he only increased his speed; at 
the second, which struck just in front of him, he hesitated, 
then came running swiftly from behind the trees, broad side 
to me. As I pressed the trigger he leaped into the air and 
over the mountains, leaving a cloud of dust which would 
have done credit to a large automobile turning the corner 
of a dusty road running at fifty miles per hour. I 

(25) 





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HUNG HIM UP AND DRESSED HIM" 



knev.' that I had struck him, but how badly he was 

wounded I did not know. Joe inamediately joined me and 

together we hastened to the point where he had disappeared. 

Following his 

tracks for 

perhaps one 

hundred and 

fifty yards we 

found the 

trail covered 

with blood, 

and following 

the blood 

stains for a 

distance o f 

about half a 

mile farther 

we found that our game had pitched headlong o\er the 

mountain, dead. 

We rolled him down to the foot of the hill; hung him 
up and dressed him, preserving his beautiful head and horns 
and his pelt. It proved to be a beautiful five-year-old 
buck with a fine head of horns, which now grace my office, 
and he weighed, I should think, about three hundred 
pounds. 

We went into camp early and feasted on venison, which 
became our regular diet for several days. 

After leaving camp in the Live Oaks we ran on through 
San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles, to Santa Barbara, where 
we arrived that evening. It is hardly necessary to tell you 
of the charms of Santa Barbara, as they are too well known. 
We left there at 9 o'clock the next morning, arriving in Los 
Angeles at 4 o'clock in the evening, and were more than 
ever pleased with the beauties of the Angel City. 

One can hardly realize the grandeur and beauty of the 
State of California until they have passed through the end- 

(27) 




THE WYOMING COUNTRY 



less wastes, over the rugged mountains, and across the 
trackless deserts of the Wyoming, Utah and Nevada coun- 
try. After one passes the Summit of the Cascades they 
enter a country that has been more blessed with rains; m 
many places covered with heavy, beautiful timber abundant 
with game, and streams of sparkling water filled with trout. 
The country in most places is fertile and productive, with 
varied scenery of mountains, valleys and plateaus; beautiful 
cities; intelligent and courteous people, who are generally 
thrifty and prosperous and wear a smile upon their face 
denoting happiness and content. 

Here also one finds flowers in abundance, and the cool- 
ing, satisfying sea breeze of the great Pacific Ocean. E,n 
route across the vast country in an automobile one meets 
many tourists, especially on the west side of the Cascades, 
taking their vacations in their automobiles, and who are 
always pleased to meet and congratulate one on their suc- 
cessful trip. 

Up to the time we reached San Francisco we had had 
but one blowout and four punctures, which certainly speaks 
well for the Goodrich tires. 

We had driven hard, having traveled 2723.8 miles in 
1 67 hours and twenty-five minutes, actual running time, con- 
suming 1 84 gallons of gasoline, and 7|/2 gallons of lubri- 
cating oil; having made an average speed of 16.3 miles 
per hour, — 14.8 miles to each gallon gasoline, and 363 
miles for each gallon of lubricating oil. Can anybody beat 
this record? We have passed over almost insurmount- 
able mountains, crossing the "Hot Sands" of not only 
one, but many deserts ; fording rivers and streams ; sleep- 
ing night after night on the trackless waste, and yet we 
were happy, and realize that we were not only benefited 
in our health, but were benefited in an intellectual way as 
well, having viewed the resources of this great western 
country in the most advantageous way, and shall be delighted 
to make this trip or a similar one as soon as business will 
permit. 

(29) 




GRANDEUR AND BEAUTY OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA' 




NEAPING HOME" 




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WAR 26 1912 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




016 085 446 7 • 



